


Need You Now

by hanky16



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-28
Updated: 2019-12-28
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:07:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21994216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hanky16/pseuds/hanky16
Summary: Exploring my feels about The Trade.  Based on Need You Now by Lady Antebellum
Relationships: Tyson Barrie/Nathan MacKinnon
Comments: 3
Kudos: 13





	Need You Now

It was midafternoon on a day off and Nate found himself sitting alone in his living room. See missing him was one thing when he was drunk at 2am but it was another thing to be faced with the cold reality while sober. Nate had so much he needed to say, so many feelings that were too big for him to understand. It really only hit him during the last road trip, during warmups when he looked over his shoulder to make a comment about Gabe looking dumb and found no one there to listen to the inner workings of his brain. A fleeting thought crossed his mind that he should pick up the phone, hear the voice he’s been dreaming about. With a sigh, Nate decided that opening that particular can of worms was not going to help anyone so he turned on the TV trying to find anything to keep his mind off the one person who had been living there rent free.

~~~~

When the final buzzer rang out after yet another Leaf’s loss Tyson shuffled out of Scotiabank arena to the nearest club that all the young guys felt like going to that night. It was a little loud for Tyson’s personal taste, opting to miss the quiet dive bars the Avalanche squad preferred to let loose in, or maybe it was just him getting old. The problem with these loud overcrowded clubs was how alone Tyson could let himself feel, there was no intimacy in crowded places, especially being on the Leaf’s where you could always be guaranteed a private booth with a seat for everyone. It allowed him to regress into his mind, if he tried hard enough he could picture Erik over in the corner having a dance off with Z. He could hear Gabe’s voice trying to impart some advice to Mikko, with the younger man focusing more on how funny Gabe looked giving the advice rather than focus on the wisdom itself. In the booth to the left was the three rookies, taking up less space than three grown men should, giggling about something they saw on Kerfs phone. Alexander could be seen in the real harsh reality sitting across from Tyson, giving him a concerned look. The kid worried about him too much, and Tyson’s told him as much. Tyson would feel all this pain twice over if it meant that Alexander could stay in Denver but of course that couldn’t happen. With a small smile, Tyson lifted his beer towards the younger man in a gesture that he was alright. He knew it wasn’t convincing but it’s the thought that counts right? Four beers later and Tysons inhibitions have lowered, proven by the fact that he is staring at that one number in his phone belonging to the one person he didn’t dare include in his daydreams. He opts against making the call and instead slips out of the club unnoticed into the dark Toronto night and headed towards his apartment. 

~~~~~~~~

Many hours later Nate found himself in the same spot, but this time with a glass of whisky in his hand. He could imagine the person on his mind making fun of him for his drink of choice which only made his heart break more. As Nate found himself knocking back his third drink he could also feel the effect of the alcohol slowly taking over. If this was any other time Nate would have pushed the intruding thoughts of the other man away opting to conceal his feelings. However, after what the past few months have shown him was that no one sticks around forever. Nate would later blame his decision on the whisky but shaking from head to toe he makes an impulsive decision and walks straight out the door. 

~~~~~~~~~

Tyson gets home and sits down on his sofa, eagerly greeted by Ralph. He should untie his shoes and get ready for bed but he can’t stop staring at his front door. The man on his mind had begged Tyson to let him come visit him in Toronto but Tyson had refused. Tyson couldn’t attempt to move on and try to come to peace with his new reality if he was so tethered to someone back home. For the rest of his life, Tyson would say this was his biggest regret. No amount of staring at the door willing him to burst through the door would make it happen right? 

~~~~~~~~~

Nate gets out of his Uber only realizing how that his impulsive decisions has left him without most personal belongings. He looks up at the apartment building and takes a deep breath. This was it, no turning back now. He opts to take the stairs as a method to calm his nerves but nothing prepared him for the moment where he stood right in front of the others door. Nate shouldn’t be here, he shouldn’t be feeling like this. Letting a shaky breath out, Nate raises his fist up ready to change his life forever.

~~~~~~~~

Tyson finds himself staring at his phone and on an impulse presses the number. Tyson misses him deep in his bones and he wants the comfort of hearing the other man’s voice. It’s dumb, Tyson shouldn’t be calling, he shouldn’t be feeling like this.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In Colorado, Nate’s phone rings on his living room table.

In Toronto, Tyson reaches Nate’s voicemail

In Colorado, Nate finally knocks

In Toronto, Tyson hangs up the phone

In Colorado, Andre answers the door and finds Nate standing on the other side.


End file.
